Two jail inmates died that day, and a third inmate who was rushed to the hospital died a few days later, according to newly released information.

The grim news started about 5 a.m. as jail officers were booking in 40-year-old Salvador Perez-Rivera on a public intoxication charge.

Up until now, sheriff's office officials have not released Perez-Rivera's name, indicating he collapsed while fighting with jail officers and was taken to the hospital. Since the book-in wasn't quite completed, he was just shy of being an inmate.

Perez-Rivera died Jan. 18 at the hospital, Tippecanoe County sheriff's Jail Commander Capt. Tom Lehman said Wednesday. Perez-Rivera had not been released from the hospital since his admission on Jan. 12.

"They called it an in-custody death," Tippecanoe County Sheriff Bob Goldsmith said on Wednesday.

They, Lehman explained, are the Indiana State Jail inspectors, whom he called after the two inmate deaths and Perez-Rivera's emergency transport from the jail. It's standard to inform state jail inspectors about emergencies involving inmates, he said.

Tippecanoe County Coroner Donna Avolt finished the autopsy report on Perez-Rivera on Tuesday.

Results from Perez-Rivera's autopsy indicated he died from acute methamphetamine toxicity, Avolt said. Toxicology indicated he had meth and prescription amphetamines in his system, she said, adding that his death was ruled accidental.

Lehman said Perez-Rivera started the book-in process being defiant, but jail officers convinced him to calm down and cooperate. After the book-in paperwork was almost finished, jailers escorted him to a cell, which is when Perez-Rivera panicked and started fighting the officers. During the fight, Perez-Rivera stopped breathing.

He was revived and rushed to the hospital, Lehman and Goldsmith said, but Perez-Rivera never overcame the effects of the drugs.

About seven hours after Perez-Rivera was rushed to the hospital, jailers found Isaiah Powe, 42, unresponsive in his cell as they passed out lunch trays that day.

Avolt ruled Powe's death accidental, too. He died from acute mixture drug intoxication, Avolt said. Toxicology results showed that Powe had taken methamphetamine, smoked marijuana, and had used morphine, codeine and hydrocodone.

About three hours later, 56-year-old Bonny Ahlrich's cellmates got officers attention because there was something wrong with Ahlrich.

She died inside the cell, Goldsmith and Lehman said last month as they briefed reporters.

Goldsmith asked the Indiana State Police to review their policies, procedures and response to these three emergencies.

Goldsmith said he received information on Tuesday that indicated state police investigators determined the response from the jail staff and jail procedures were adequate.

"What I was told yesterday was they couldn't give us any suggestions," Goldsmith said, "and didn't find us doing anything wrong."

Reach Ron Wilkins at 765-420-5231 or at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.